AP
Britain's Princess Margaret 2001 Photo

World leaders are paying tribute to Britain's Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth, who died early Saturday at age 71, after suffering a series of strokes.

In a statement, the Queen paid tribute to the woman she called her "beloved sister." Prime Minister Tony Blair, currently visiting West Africa, said he was deeply saddened by the news. Pope John Paul II and the leaders of the European Union, France, Italy, Kenya, Australia and Morocco have also expressed their sympathy to the royal family. Buckingham Palace says the princess died peacefully in her sleep at a London hospital. A palace statement says she will be buried next Friday at Windsor Castle, west of London.

Her death comes three days after Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 50 years on the throne.

Born August 21, 1930, Princess Margaret was known as an imperious and rebellious woman who was unlucky in love. In the 1950s, she clashed with Queen Elizabeth over her plans to marry a divorced man, which she eventually abandoned. Her later marriage to photographer Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdon, ended in divorce in 1978. The couple had two children.

Britain's Princess Margaret - dead at 71.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

Email this article to a friend
Printer Friendly Version